Professional, prepared, prudent and polished are just a few of the descriptions that come to mind upon meeting retired San Francisco Superior Court Judge Ina Levin Gyemant. She is a determined mediator/arbitrator whose intelligence cuts right to the heart of a matter and whose passion for justice and making things right drive her success in the ADR world.

Asked about the core attributes that qualify her to be an effective mediator, Gyemant replies: “I am patient and persistent, with a slice of humor and an ability to listen closely. Twenty years on the bench have given me an almost reflex-like insight into understanding people. I get very invested in the matter at hand, starting with pre-mediation phone calls to the opposing attorneys, continuing on with absorbing myself with the facts of the case, all with the intention of truly understanding the litigants. I check all preconceptions at the door, and treat each case with the full attention and open-mindedness it deserves.

“There are no short cuts in the mediation field,” adds Gyemant. “Diligent homework is absolutely essential, because it honors and respects all parties involved, and their very presence earns my attentiveness. In addition to persistence – and I am extremely persistent – I also try to be creative. If we hit an impasse, if things aren’t moving properly or are simply not working, I suggest different angles and approaches until we discover a more comfortable playing field. People who know me know that I never give up.”

Intense in focus, possessed of a razor-sharp intellect, and gifted with a warmth of personality that puts clients at ease, Ina Levin Gyemant is a tower of judicial wisdom and a seasoned veteran of countless courtroom disputes, qualities she feels adds value to her role as mediator. She thrives on making people feel comfortable in tense mediation sessions that are often all-consuming, intimidating, draining and discouraging. She’s an indefatigable pursuer of balance, fairness, justice, and, ultimately, resolution.

ON THE BENCH

Judge Gyemant served in every department of the Court. She was Presiding Judge for Family Law for 3 years, and as such, founded Rally Project and Kid’s Turn, an educational program for children of divorce. Judge Gyemant was assigned to civil trial departments conducting jury and non-jury trials for more than 9 years. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Gyemant served as a Deputy California Attorney General from 1972-81, and Deputy San Francisco Public Defender from 1970-71. Before that she clerked for Chief Justice Roger Traynor of the California Supreme Court in 1969-1970.

Member, California Judge’s Association (Board, Vice President);

Queen’s Bench (President); National Association of Women Judges; and Bar Association of San Francisco.

Judge of the Year Award, San Francisco Trial Lawyers,

1985 Distinguished Service Award, San Francisco Bar Assoc., Family Law Section.

Distinguished Citizen of the Year, Harvard Club, 1996.

Alumna of the Year, Hastings College of the Law, Clara Foltz Society, 2001.

Recipient, Silver Jefferson Award for Community Service, 2008.

EDUCATION

J.D., Hastings College of the Law, 1968
B.A., University of California at Berkeley, 1965